Chapter 42: THE FESTIVAL BEGINS (Part 3)

The Phoenix Academy gymnasium was located on the eastern side of the main field. The building was quite large, with tall white walls that had started to look a little dull with age, and a curved tin roof that created a spacious and open feel inside. In some corners, fine cracks could be seen, showing that the building had stood for decades, but it remained sturdy and well-maintained. The double wooden doors at the front were wide open, inviting spectators to enter and watch the matches.

Inside, the glossy wooden floor stretched wide, with basketball court lines neatly painted on its surface. The paint colors were still fresh—dark blue for the boundary lines, white for the center line and free-throw areas—freshly repainted for the festival. Two basketball hoops stood firmly at each end of the court, with nets that were still pure white, hanging neatly and freshly replaced so no one could complain about damaged equipment. The backboards were made of clear glass that sparkled under the lights, with sturdy iron frames surrounding them.

Around the court, the spectator stands were made of old but still sturdy wood, capable of holding hundreds of people who came to watch the matches. The wood had turned dark brown with age, with some parts smoothed down from years of use. In some places, small carvings made by students from previous years could be seen. Large lights on the ceiling shone brightly, illuminating every corner of the room with light almost like daytime, ensuring no part of the court was left dark or unnoticed by referees and spectators.

The stands started filling up with spectators. Students from various classes sat packed together, some carrying support posters, some wearing their class attributes, and some just coming to enjoy the atmosphere. Parents and guardians also started arriving, sitting in the front rows to get a better view. The sounds of laughter and conversation filled the room, creating a festive yet orderly crowd. In the corner of the stands, several teachers could be seen sitting together, including Reina sitting in the front row with a calm but attentive expression.

The view from the stands was quite impressive. From above, spectators could see the entire court clearly—every player’s movement, every pass, every shot. The sound of the ball bouncing on the wooden floor echoed throughout the room, creating a rhythm that became the background music of the match. The spectators’ spirit could be felt from the cheers that echoed every time a shot went in or a defense succeeded.

The IX-9 basketball team was gathered at the side of the court, doing light warm-ups before the match began. They formed a small circle near the bench, with Rin in the middle giving final instructions. All eyes were on her, listening carefully.

Rin stood tall in the center of the circle. Her hand held a basketball, which she bounced gently on the floor, creating a calming rhythm. "We’ll be facing the team from Class 3.1. They’re quite tough, but we’ve trained hard. I’m sure we can win."

Katrin nodded, her eyes sparkling with determination. "We’re ready. I can’t wait to start."

Maya, standing beside Katrin, still looked a little nervous, her hands playing with the edge of her uniform restlessly. "I-I’ll do my best."

"I know you can, Maya," Rin said with a small smile, trying to encourage her.

Sera, standing at the edge with her arms crossed, just nodded. "I’m ready anytime."

The referee blew a long whistle, and the match began. The entire room, which had been filled with the low murmur of spectators, now turned into echoing cheers. The ball was tossed into the air by the referee, soaring high between Rin and the opposing player who both jumped to grab it. Rin, with a higher leap and perfect timing, managed to gain control of the first ball. Her strong hand tapped the ball toward Katrin, who had already moved to the side of the court.

"Katrin! Attack!" Rin shouted as she ran forward, her feet moving quickly across the glossy wooden floor.

Katrin received the ball perfectly, dribbling quickly past two opposing players who tried to block her. Her movements were agile and confident—her legs moved in a steady rhythm, her body twisted to avoid obstacles, and her eyes always searched for an open teammate. She managed to pass one player, then another, and when a third tried to block her, she quickly passed the ball to the side.

The spectators cheered at her agility. In the stands, Mira shouted enthusiastically, "KATRIN! COOL!"

The ball reached Sera, who was already near the hoop. The opposing defender immediately approached, trying to close Sera’s space. But Sera wasn’t fooled. With a calm movement, she passed the ball back to Katrin, who had moved to another corner. Katrin received the ball, then immediately directed it to Rin, who was already in a perfect position under the hoop.

Rin received the ball right in front of the hoop. With a trained movement, she jumped, her body suspended in the air for a moment, and released the shot with her flexible wrist. The ball flew perfectly, spinning in the air, and went through the hoop without touching the rim.

"SWISH!" The sound of the net moving was heard clearly throughout the room, followed by roaring cheers from the spectators.

"Class IX-9 scores the first point!" the commentator announced from the stands, his voice full of spirit and clear through the speakers. "Rin Scarlet with an amazing shot! They’re taking the lead immediately!"

The spectators cheered even louder. The friends from Class IX-9 sitting in the stands shouted their support. Mira hopped lightly in place, her fists clenched in front of her chest. "COOL, RIN!"

Iris smiled mysteriously, her hand casually playing with the end of her hair. "They’re starting well."

Luna, sitting beside Iris, just smiled slightly, her half-closed eyes following Rin’s movements on the court.

The match continued with increasing intensity. The IX-9 team played very solidly. Rin led the attack with impressive speed and accuracy—every pass she made was on target, every shot she took counted. Her red hair flew every time she moved, and her sharp eyes kept scanning the court for openings.

Katrin moved agilely on the wings, creating space and delivering accurate passes that overwhelmed the opposing defense. She didn’t just rely on speed, but also intelligence in reading the opponents’ movements. Every time she got the ball, she always knew where to send it.

Maya, although still looking a little nervous at the start, started showing the dribbling skills she had practiced repeatedly. She dribbled carefully, keeping the ball from slipping out of her control, and occasionally gave fairly good passes. Every time she managed to get past an opponent, her confidence increased little by little.

Sera defended solidly in the defensive area, preventing opponents from approaching the hoop with her upright posture and quick movements. No opposing player could get past her easily. Every time an opponent tried to penetrate the defense, Sera was always in the right position to block.

"Rin passes to Katrin! Katrin passes to Maya! Maya dribbles nimbly! She passes one player! Two players! She passes to Rin! Rin jumps! And... in! Class IX-9 is pulling further ahead!"

The score kept increasing for the IX-9 team. Rin managed to score several three-point shots that amazed the spectators. Katrin delivered brilliant assists. Maya started gaining more confidence, and Sera remained solid in defense. Every time IX-9 scored, the cheers from the stands grew louder.

In the second half, Team 3.1 tried to fight back. They started playing more aggressively, trying to catch up. Several times they managed to score, bringing the score closer. But Rin didn’t stay still. With her leadership on the court, she managed to control the game’s rhythm, slowing down the opponents’ attacks and ensuring her team remained ahead.

"Rin takes control of the game! She dribbles past two players! She passes to Katrin! Katrin shoots! And... in! Class IX-9 pulls away again!"

At the end of the match, the score showed a decisive victory for IX-9. Rin smiled with satisfaction, Katrin gave a thumbs up, Maya sighed with relief, and Sera just nodded with satisfaction.

"The first match is won by Class IX-9 with a score of 42-28!" the commentator announced enthusiastically. "They will advance to the next round!"

"Next, we will witness the match between Class IX-9 and Class 2.2! Both teams will compete for the championship position! Let’s watch together!"

The IX-9 team returned to the court with burning spirit. They stood in their respective positions, waiting for the referee’s whistle. Rin bounced the ball on the floor a few times, feeling the rhythm of the game about to begin. Katrin stood beside her, hands on her hips, eyes observing the opponents. Maya stood a little behind, still biting her lip, but this time there was determination in her eyes. Sera stood with her arms crossed, waiting calmly.

However, Kai, watching from the stands, noticed something that made him frown. There was something in the opponents’ eyes that was different—like there was another intention behind their game. They didn’t just look focused, but also looked like they were planning something. Some of them exchanged glances with strange small smiles, and Kai felt a bad feeling.

"What’s wrong, Kai?" Reina asked from beside him, seeing Kai’s expression change.

"I don’t know," Kai answered softly, his eyes not blinking. "But there’s something strange about the opposing team."

The referee blew the whistle. The match began. The ball was tossed into the air, and Rin once again managed to gain control of the first ball. She immediately passed to Katrin, and the game continued as before. The IX-9 team played well, leading by a few points at the start. The score was 6-2 in IX-9’s favor.

But slowly, Kai started noticing something strange. The players from Class 2.2 started playing more aggressively—not in a sporting sense, but in a rougher way. Their movements started to change, faster and sharper, with a purpose beyond just stealing the ball.

As Rin dribbled on the side of the court, an opposing player suddenly stepped into her path with a slightly exaggerated movement. Their shoulders collided hard, and Rin almost lost her balance. The ball slipped out of her hands, rolling to the edge of the court.

"Foul?!" Rin shouted, turning to the referee with blazing eyes.

But the referee just shook his head, gesturing for play to continue. "Play on! No foul!"

Rin gritted her teeth, but didn’t argue. She immediately chased the rolling ball, but the opponent had already gained control. Quickly, she ran back to her defensive position.

On the other side of the court, Katrin received a pass from Maya. As she was about to jump for a shot, an opposing player approached quickly, her hand seeming to block the shot. But at the last moment, the player’s body collided with Katrin from the side—not a hard, obvious collision, but enough to make Katrin lose her balance. Her shot went wide, and the ball only hit the backboard before falling into the opponent’s hands.

"Watch it!" Katrin shouted, turning to the referee with an angry expression. "That was a foul! She pushed me!"

But the referee just shrugged, showing no reaction. "Play on! No foul!"

Katrin clenched her fists, but there was nothing she could do. She could only try harder. She ran back to her position, trying to ignore the pain in her shoulder from the collision.

On the other side, Sera, who was defending, experienced the same thing. As she tried to block an opposing player about to shoot, the player suddenly moved backward and collided with Sera with her shoulder. Sera’s sturdy body staggered, and she fell to the floor hard. Her knee hit the wood, and pain shot through her body.

"Sera!" Rin shouted, running over in panic.

Sera got up quickly, her hand rubbing her knee, which was starting to redden and bruise. She bit her lip, enduring the stinging pain. "I’m fine," she said in a flat voice, but there was blazing anger in her eyes. "They’re doing this on purpose. They know exactly what they’re doing."

Rin stared at the opponents with a sharp gaze, her eyes narrowing with restrained anger. "I know. But the referee doesn’t see it. There’s nothing we can do."

The match continued. Every time the IX-9 team tried to attack, there was always a small collision unnoticed by the referee. The opposing players moved cunningly—bumping, pushing, or tripping with movements made to look accidental. Their elbows hit ribs, their shoulders collided with chests, their feet tripped between steps. No foul was clearly visible, but the impact was felt. The IX-9 team started losing their rhythm, their concentration began to waver, and the score started to turn.

"This isn’t fair!" Maya cried, almost in tears, after an opposing player accidentally pushed her until she fell while trying to catch the ball. Her knee hit the floor, and the pain made her eyes water. "They deliberately knocked me down!"

Katrin pulled Maya up quickly, her strong hand gripping Maya’s arm. "Get up, Maya. We can’t give up. We keep fighting until the end."

"But they’re cheating!" Maya’s voice trembled, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "They keep doing it and the referee doesn’t see!"

"I know," Katrin said, her voice trying to stay calm, but there was anger in her eyes. "But if we give up, they win. And we won’t let them win this way."

Rin walked over, sweat covering her face, her eyes looking at Maya firmly. "Maya, I know this is hard. But we keep fighting. We won’t give them the satisfaction of seeing us give up."

Maya wiped her tears, took a deep breath, then nodded. "Okay. I’ll keep fighting."

Rin smiled slightly, then patted Maya’s shoulder. "Good. Now, let’s get back on the court."

In the stands, Kai clenched his fists. He saw everything. He saw how the opposing players played dirty, how they avoided the referee’s sight, how they deliberately hurt his team. But he couldn’t do anything. He could only sit and watch.

"Calm down, Kai," Reina said beside him, her voice calm but meaningful. "They can handle it."

Kai didn’t answer. His eyes were still fixed on the court, on his students who kept fighting despite being in a difficult position.

The match continued fiercely. The IX-9 team fought with all their might. Rin tried everything to motivate her team, continuing to attack even though her body was starting to tire. Katrin kept moving on the wings, creating space even though she was often knocked down. Maya started getting braver, ignoring the pain and fear. Sera remained solid in defense, not letting a single opposing player get past her easily.

The score kept changing. 30-28 in IX-9’s favor. Then 30-30. Then 32-30 in the opponent’s favor. Every point was fought for hard, every second felt like an hour.

In the final minutes, Rin managed to steal the ball from the opponent. She ran quickly toward the hoop, passing one player, then another. She jumped, ready to release the shot that would tie the score.

But at that moment, an opposing player appeared from the side. Not to block the shot, but to collide with Rin in midair. Rin’s body was thrown off, and she fell to the floor hard. The ball slipped from her hands, rolling to the edge of the court.

The referee blew the whistle. "Foul! Two free throws!"

Rin got up with difficulty. Her knee hurt, and her hands trembled from enduring the pain. But she walked to the free-throw line with her head held high.

First throw. The ball flew... in.

Second throw. The ball flew... in.

The score was 34-32 in IX-9’s favor. But time was almost up. The opponent gained control of the ball, running quickly toward the hoop. Rin tried to chase, but her body was too tired. The opposing player shot... and the ball went in.

A long whistle blew. The match was over. The final score was 35-34 in favor of Class 2.2.

Rin looked down, her hands gripping the basketball tightly. Sweat covered her entire face, but not from exhaustion. She felt disappointed. Katrin stood beside her with the same expression, staring blankly at the floor. Maya tried to hold back her tears, her trembling hands gripping the edge of her uniform tightly. Sera was silent, her arms crossed over her chest, but there was deep disappointment in her eyes.

Kai walked toward his team, who were still standing on the court, not moving. The spectators started to leave, but they remained in place, like broken statues. Some of them were still looking down, some biting their lips, some holding back tears. Kai saw Rin looking down, her shoulders trembling slightly. Without saying a word, Kai stood in front of her.

Rin lifted her head slowly. Her eyes were a little red, but she held back her tears with all her strength. Her effort to remain composed was visible in her clenched jaw and straight-pressed lips. "Sir... I’m sorry... I failed. I couldn’t win the match. I tried, but..." Her voice started to break at the end of the sentence.

Kai smiled. He raised his hand and gently stroked Rin’s head. His warm, wordless movement made Rin fall silent. His rough but gentle fingers touched Rin’s red hair, like a father calming his child.

"Rin," Kai said in a calm voice, "winning and losing are always part of any match. That’s part of sports. No one can win all the time. What matters is that you gave your best."

Rin looked at Kai with glistening eyes. "But... we lost... We tried, but they cheated, and..."

"So?" Kai smiled. "As long as you enjoyed this festival, I’m also satisfied. Seeing you play with spirit, seeing you fight until the end—that’s enough for me. Win or lose, you’ve shown that you’re a great team."

Hearing that, Rin fell silent. Slowly, a small smile started forming on her face. "You’re... not disappointed?"

"I’m never disappointed in you," Kai said, his voice gentle but full of conviction. "You’re the best students I’ve ever had. And I’m proud of you. No matter the result."

Rin nodded slowly, then smiled wider. She straightened her head, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then turned to her friends. Katrin had already approached, Maya stood behind her with eyes still a little red, and Sera stood at the edge with her arms crossed, but there was a small smile on her face.

"We keep fighting until the end, right?" Rin said, her voice starting to regain its firmness, the tone that had become her trademark.

"Of course," Katrin answered, her voice full of spirit. "We won’t give up just because of one loss."

"I won’t give up," Maya said softly, but this time her voice was steadier, no longer trembling like before. "I’ll train even harder."

"We’ll be even better," Sera said firmly, her eyes looking at Rin with full conviction. "We already know our weaknesses. We’ll fix them."

Kai watched them from a distance. He saw Rin starting to smile again, how Katrin patted Maya’s shoulder, how Sera nodded in agreement. They weren’t broken. They kept going.

"Mr. Kai," Rin suddenly called out, turning to him with a smile that was starting to brighten again. "We’ll train even harder for the next match. We won’t give up. We’ll prove that we can."

Kai smiled. "I know you won’t give up. Because you’re Class IX-9."

Rin smiled widely, then turned and walked toward her friends with firm steps. They started chatting, strategizing for the next match. The sounds of laughter and conversation started to be heard among them again—Mira running toward them, Iris walking casually, Ella already opening her notebook.

"We’ll crush them in the next match!" Mira shouted enthusiastically, her fists clenched in front of her chest.

"We need to improve our strategy," Ella said seriously, her pen already ready in her hand. "I’ve noted their weaknesses."

Iris smiled mysteriously. "I have some ideas."

Kai was still standing in his place, watching them leave. In his heart, there was a pride he couldn’t explain—not because they won, but because they kept going even though they lost. They weren’t broken. They didn’t give up. And that was the most valuable thing of all. They had learned that defeat wasn’t the end of everything, but the beginning of a new journey.